Puzzle.



No. 744,884. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903: W. D. TAYLOR.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1903 NO MODEL.

' WITVNESSES INVENIOR f i M ZZZmmfl @76 2 we uonms PETERS co., Puoraumu, wnsmncrou, p. c

UhlllTlED ti'rrl'ries Patented November 24, 1.903.

PATENT @Fitlfildt PUZ LEEZ.

SPECEEEICA'EION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,884, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed September 29, 1903- Serial No. 176.033. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Dunstan Tav- LOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Williams Bridge, in the county of NewYoi-k and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to puzzles; and the object thereof is to provide a device of this class the solution of which may be easily accomplished by one familiar with the construction and operation, while to one who is not familiar with the construction and operation the said solution is exceedingly difficult.

The invention is fully disclosed in the fol- I lowing specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of myimproveinent are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved puzzle; Fig. 2, a section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a plan and side view, respectively, of the detail of the construction.

In the practice of my invention 1 provide a plate or board a, which is preferably composed of brass, but which may be composed of any desired material, and said plate or board a, is preferably circular in form, and at the back thereof is a similar plate I) of any suitable material, which is separated therefrom by an annular strip 0, the said parts a, b, and a being secured together so as to form a space d between the parts a and Z).

The plate a is provided with six separate sets of angularly-arranged slots, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. One set of these slots is designated by the reference character e, another set by the reference character f, another set by the reference character g, while the other three sets are designated by the reference characters h, z', and j. arranged in the plate a as to form asubstantially circular figure and are interlocked or arranged so as to form a labyrinth of slots or openings in said plate. The sets of slots which are designated by the reference characters f, g, h, z', andj are arranged within the general outline of the figure formed by the These slots are so slot or slots designated by the reference character c. All the branches of the slots designated by the reference charactereare in communication; but neither of the sets of slots designated by the reference charactersf, g, h, 2', and j are in communication with each other or with the set of slots designated by the reference character e.

In the drawings the slots orset of slots designated by the reference character 6 are indicated by darker lines than those which represent the other sets or series of slots, the object of this being to more clearly show the separate sets or series of slots; but in forming these slots in the plate a they will all be formed exactly alike.

Each of the sets orseries of slots designated by the reference characters f, g, h, i, andj have a branch f g h", 2' and j respectively, which extends outwardly through the edge of the plate or board h and through the strip 6, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1; butthe set or series of slots designated by the reference character 6 have no such branches.

I also provide a member 7o,which is adapted to be moved through the sets or series of slots designated by the reference character 9, and said member consists of a button k having a shank k provided with a cross 71: comprising four arms of equal length. There is only one point at which the slots designated by the reference character 9 cross, and that is at e in Fig. 1, and in practice the cross k is passed downwardly through the crossed slots at 6 and the said movable member h is then moved into the position shown in Fig. 1 or into any other position in the slots or series of slots 6, and the solution of the puzzle consists in manipulating the movable member 71 so as to remove it from the plate or board a. When the construction is understood, this solution of course is very easy; but when it is not understood or when the operator does not understand that the said movable member 72 is provided with a cross at the inner end of the shank Ye it is a very difficult matter to remove said member from the plate h, as herein described. It will be understood, of course, that in practice the movable member h is placed at any desired point in the slot or slots 6, and the device is then handed to another A struction thereof.

party, who is requested to remove the said member without beinginformed as tothe con- The arrangement of the separate sets or series of slots is such that altogether they form a labyrinth which is very confusing; but the exact form of these slots or openings in the plate a is not essential, nor is the exact number of the different sets or series thereof, and various changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made without slots or openings and comprising a button pro vided with a shank at one end of which is a cross, substantially as shown and described.

2. A puzzle comprising two plates secured together so as to form a narrow space between them, one of said plates being provided with a plurality of separate series of angularly-arranged slots or openings,the slots or openings of one of said series forming a cross at one point, and a member adapted to move in the slots of the last-named series and comprising a button having a shank at the end of which is a cross, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of September, 1903.

WILLIAM DUDMAN TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, O. E. MULREAN-Y. 

